Blood, Tears & Gold
by ShadowKira
Summary: Lucy and Mina have not spoken since Mina learned of the blonde's betrayal. When they finally encounter each other days later, Mina can tell that things will never be the same again.
1. Chapter 1

Mina paused as the sound of footsteps caught her attention, her hand hovering over the gloves she had forgotten to put on in the nights earlier commotion.

The hall outside the thick wooden door was dark, save for the light streaming in from the window at the far end. The guests were still arriving to the party and she was sure that someone must have gotten lost. Grayson's home was large enough that it was a possibility.

She grabbed up her gloves and turned back for the door, pausing again, fingers over the knob when she heard a muffled cry.

The brunette's eyes widened and she leaned in closer to the door, pressing her ear to it. She could hear movement from the other side but only faintly. Steeling herself, Mina twisted the knob without a second thought.

"Hello? What is going on out here?" She asked, trying to keep her voice strong and authoritative.

She looked to her right first, back toward the party. She could see the light coming from it but there was no sign of any guests. Looking to the left, Mina felt her heart skip a beat.

There were two figures on the floor, one hunched over the other. The one closest to her was dressed in a gown, a long trail of black and crimson fabric laid out behind them. The moonlight seemed to glow off of their fair hair.

"Hello?" Mina repeated, a little weaker this time. "Is everything alright?"

The gown clad figure's shoulders stiffened and they seemed to pause in whatever it was that they were doing and straighten up.

"Mina?"

The brunette swallowed thickly, relief flooding her but anxiety twisting her stomach regardless. "Lucy, is that you?"

They hadn't spoken in days, not since the incident in the hospital. She took a hesitant step forward when there was no response, her heart aching as she fought the urge to remember why it was they weren't speaking.

An eerie gasp came from behind the blonde and Mina was reminded of the third presence in the shadows of the hall. Feeling more comfortable now that she knew one of the two strangers, she rushed forward to check on the man.

Mina gasped when she saw the dark spot on his neck that she presumed to be blood. Without looking to her friend, she dropped to her knees and moved to apply pressure.

"Did you see what happened? Did someone attack him?" The brunette's eyes widened when she felt the extent of the wound with her fingers. They were quickly slicked with blood and the exposed muscle and surrounding tissue was terribly torn beneath them.

"Lucy, we need to get him help-" Her words died on her lips as a cold hand pulled her own away from the wound. Blue eyes rose, locking with Lucy's. They were colder than she remembered, and their color was off.

Her eyes trailed lower almost of their own accord. She felt herself swallow thickly as she traced over Lucy's plump lips with her gaze. They were tinted red and there was a deeper smudge of color by the right corner of them.

Mina blinked, brought out of her staring as the very lips that had captured her attention pulled into a smile. She watched with rapt attention as Lucy brought her bloodied fingers to her mouth and then the blonde's eyes caught her own. Mina could swear that she saw flecks of crimson swimming in the usually hazel irises.

The brunette's mind went black, her breath catching in her throat as a cool tongue swept over her index finger. She wasn't one to have a weak stomach and the sight of gore no longer affected her due to her studies. Despite this knowledge, she was surprised to find that she had no aversion to Lucy's sudden taste for the liquid. In fact, she found that it was oddly hypnotizing to watch and it felt as if a haze had crept over her mind.

She watched as the deep red was lapped away slowly, leaving her skin pale in the moonlight.

And whenever Mina found the strength to will herself to look away, her eyes would find Lucy's. The other woman was watching her closely, an expression thick in her gaze that she had never allowed the brunette to see so fully.

It twisted Mina's stomach and lit it aflame, the feeling threatened to swallow her whole. And the cool feel of Lucy's mouth along her slender fingers only intensified the feeling.

Her own body betrayed her and a small gasp slipped free of her suddenly parted lips as Lucy slid her middle finger into her mouth down to the base. She could feel the softness of the blondes tongue but as her mouth slid back, felt the hard edge of her teeth.

Mina trembled, capturing her bottom lip between her own teeth as she eyed the elongated canines in Lucy's mouth that she had failed to notice before. Something about the sight of them excited her, the unfamiliarity of them and the fact she knew that the damage that they had inflicted. The evidence just inches away.

"Mina." Lucy breathed, releasing the brunette's wrist.

The taller woman's mouth opened but no response came. She watched as Lucy leaned in slowly, reminding her of the night the blonde had confessed her love. This time was different, this time Mina already knew of the feelings. This time, they were not alone.

She didn't push Lucy away, not at first. The soft lips brushing the corner her own was too distracting. Her body hummed and her heart jumped at the feather light touch as if an electrical current was moving through it. The experience, the emotions moving through her all seemed to be something she would find in a dream.

Lucy's fingers brushed her cheeks, cool breath moving across her mouth and bringing her back to reality. Back to the hallway where the two of them were not alone.

"Lucy," she said, pulling back slightly. "We can't-" She glanced to the left, her brow creasing and guilt dampening her mood when she saw the crumpled form again.

The other woman let out a huff, surprising Mina as she swept the brunette off of her feet. They were halfway down the hall in a matter of seconds, back in Grayson's study in no time at all. Lucy bypassed the furniture and instead pushed Mina up against the wall, knocking the wind out of her.

Mina's mind was a blur again, her heart hammering madly in her chest at the incredible speed and strength that her friend was exhibiting. She had quite literally been swept off her feet and that same haze had returned. She didn't want it to stop.

She gasped against Lucy's cheek as she felt the material of her gown rising against her thigh. She was so enthralled with the attention she didn't hear the hurried footsteps outside.

Unable to contain herself as Lucy's hands continued to wander, a loud moan cut through the silence on that side of the house. Within seconds the door to the study was thrown open again and the blonde's hands were gone.

Mina breathed heavily, her eyes flying toward the entrance to the room. Lady Jayne stood looking between the two younger women, her own chest rising and falling sharply.

_"You?"_ She asked, her eyes narrowing as she took in Lucy's rather aggressive posturing.

The younger blonde let out a sound that was awfully similar to a growl before launching herself at the closest window. She tore the curtains aside and shattered the glass as she leapt through and into the night.

Two men rushed passed Jayne and after her, each brandishing a wicked looking blade.

"No!" Mina cried, moving to follow. She cried out again, her chest constricting as she felt a pair of strong arms hold her back.

"Don't worry yourself, girl. They will not catch her, she's long gone." Jayne whispered, her breath warm on Mina's neck. "But you, you need to tell me what you know."

_**To be continued...**_


	2. Chapter 2

"About what you saw..." Mina started nervously, her eyes on her lap.

Jayne laughed, a smile pulling at her lips. "You were glamored, it's happened to the best of us."

"Glamored?"

"It is a hunting technique... To make prey more pliable and less violent."

Mina's frown deepened, "Lucy is not some violent creature-"

The blonde shot her a sympathetic look, "While I doubt she glamored you intentionally... The Lucy we knew is dead, she is a creature now. A Nosferatu. The sooner you learn that, the better."

"But she _breathes_! She_ lives_. I _spoke_ with her!" The brunette argued, "The Lucy_ I_ knew is alive and well."

Jayne sighed and Mina glared at her. She wasn't sure why the older woman suddenly seemed to be an expert on her friend's behavior but it was annoying her greatly. She could agree that the younger blonde had fallen prey to some form of illness but what Jayne was saying was insane. Lucy couldn't possibly be a vampire.

"I've been tracking whoever turned Lucy for quite some time. He is very old and skilled. He tricked me into thinking I killed him but now he's back."

"What does this have to do with my friend? Why would he target her of all people?"

Jayne's eyes met hers, "I don't know. It could have been random but I find that doubtful."

"Why?" Mina pressed, especially when she saw guilt seeping into the older woman's steely gaze.

"Lucy and I have met several times for tea over the passed weeks... She needed advice and I company. This particular vampire is no doubt aware that I am hunting him... And targeted her to send a message."

Mina's hands tightened into fists on her lap, "Lucy is to be punished for your bizarre hobby?" She bit out, her voice rising sharply.

"Miss Murray, had I known that such a thing was going to happen I would not have invited her. I did not think our chats would hold any meaning to the beast." Jayne replied, a bit of a bite to her own tone.

She turned away from the brunette then, her mind mulling over the fact that a cooperative Mina would be more helpful. She sighed before turning back to sit by the other woman.

"Perhaps you're right, maybe Lucy has retained some of her human side. Normally such a thing only occurs in older vampires who are able to control their blood lust. She is in grave danger out there all alone. If we are to save her, we must find her before the other huntsmen do."

Mina's blue eyes narrowed slightly, "You won't harm her?" She asked, sounding more than a little skeptical. Just moments before the older woman had sounded as if she thought there was no chance Lucy could have maintained her humanity.

"I will not harm her, I promise." Jayne said, her voice soft. "If she was targeted because of me I feel I owe her that."

Mina's eyes remained locked on the blonde's, looking for any sign of insincerity. When she was satisfied that she could trust her, at least for now, she responded in an even voice. "Fine, I will help you find her."

A slow smile pulled at Jayne's lips, "Thank you, darling."

xxx

Mina was exhausted and it was late but Jayne had insisted that they go to check the Westenra estate for Lucy before dawn. She had warned the brunette that if the fledgling had returned home or turned there it was a possibility that she had caused damage before she left. Mina shivered at the idea but she wanted to give Lucy the credit she deserved. The younger blonde would never do anything to harm those she loved if she wasn't truly ill.

She tried to fight down the small part of her mind that argued with that idea, that reminded her of Lucy's betrayal. It hadn't been a physical blow but it had hurt all the same.

Jayne's heavy knocking on the front door broke her from her thoughts and she watched as the blonde waited for a response from inside. When several silent minutes had passed without an answer the impatient woman drew the blade from her hip.

"What are you planning on doing with that?" Mina asked, her eyes wide.

Jayne shot her an exasperated glare before kicking the door heavily with her booted foot. It gave with a loud splintering crack and Mina was surprised that only silence followed the sudden sound.

"Stay behind me." Jayne whispered, her arm out slightly as if to shield Mina from anything that might have been hiding in the shadows. A few candles were lit in the foyer, they looked like they were well burnt, almost down to the base. The brunette shivered as she followed closely behind the huntress, the flickering of them creating odd shapes on the walls.

Mina's brow furrowed when Jayne slowed to a stop at the end of the hall, "What is it?" She whispered, leaning forward slightly to try to peek around the blonde.

"Oh God..." She covered her mouth, her eyes wide at the sight of the Westenra's butler lying face down in a pool of his own blood.

"Will you keep your voice down?" The huntress hissed, her eyes scanning the two halls on either side of them for any sign of movement. "Where do you think she would be?"

Mina swallowed thickly, calming herself so that she could properly absorb Jayne's whispered question. "T-to the left."

The blonde nodded silently and they proceeded down the left hall until they reached Lucy's room. The doors were partially slid open, about enough for a person to slide through. Jayne pushed them open the rest of the way before holding her blade up defensively.

"Ears open. We could be attacked from behind." She warned humorlessly, although almost smirked when she felt the brunette panicking silently behind her.

The shudders to the window on the far side of the room were open wide causing moonlight to spill over the bed and across some of the floor. The two women approached cautiously, a figure seemed to be lying in the center, covered by the sheets.

"No, no..." Mina gasped, falling to the floor when she realized who it was. Minerva looked peaceful, posed as if she were sleeping. If it weren't for the dark splotches of blood along her neck and jaw it would have been convincing.

"Do you still think the thing roaming around wearing the skin of your friend is the same one that you knew?" Jayne asked, her features an emotionless mask as she reached down to pull the sheet over the deceased woman's face.

"It couldn't have been... Lucy would never-" Mina shook her head, eyes clenched shut as tears rolled down her cheeks. Her mouth spoke lies but her heart and her head knew better. Her chest ached, her stomach rolled and her head was racing a mile a minute. The comforter, soft beneath her fingertips smelled of Lucy, _her _Lucy. The kind and loving Lucy who would never, could never hurt anyone. The Lucy who had only lived for her smile.

"Fledglings tend to dwell in places that they find familiar, especially if they are abandoned by their sire. If she is not here, we must operate under the assumption that she was not abandoned... And that she is with the one that turned her."

Mina remained quiet, hiccuping occasionally as her tears slowly faded.

xxx

"No, there's one more place she might be." The brunette whispered, rising to her feet.

They made their way through the Westenra home and toward Minerva's bed chamber. And as soon as the door is open, they knew they had found the younger blonde.

A low growl escaped the shadows as the door creaked open. Jayne tried to enter the room first but Mina stopped her.

"No, I'll go first." The brunette whispered crossing over the threshold as the huntress watched on warily.

"Get out!" Lucy roared, standing from where she had been cowering on the floor below the window.

"Lucy..." Mina whispered, her heart breaking at the sight of the other woman.

The only light in the room was spilling in from the large window behind the blonde, the shutters again thrown wide open.

"Stay away..." Lucy warned, her red eyes flashing in the moonlight. Her face was stained red. Her chin from feeding and her cheeks from crying.

"I cannot." The brunette whispered, shaking her head as she stepped closer. She could see now that Lucy was clutching her Mother's favorite gown tightly to her and her heart nearly broke at the sight.

"You saw what I did to them... What makes you think I won't do the same to you?" She asked, her voice low.

Mina's eyes met hers defiantly and held the glowering gaze as she closed the distance between them. Her fingers brushed Lucy's as she reached for Minerva's gown but the blonde held on tight.

"I don't care." Mina whispered, finally. "It was always the two of us... I- I abandoned you... And look what has happened. What's become of us."

Lucy averted her eyes, her fingers trembling against the fabric clutched tightly between them. "I care."

Mina held firm, her hands finally prying the gown away. She laid it on the bed, her eyes never leaving Lucy. Fresh blood began to track down the blonde's cheeks as her eyes followed the movement.

"Please... Leave me for the sun to take." Lucy turned away then, her arms wrapped tightly around herself as she glanced toward the moon. "Maybe I will take this whole place with me."

The blonde shivered as two warm arms wrapped around her torso, "Do you really hate yourself so much?" Mina murmured before resting her chin on the shorter woman's shoulder.

"I killed my own Mother." Lucy muttered in response, her teeth gnashing together at the thought. A silent moment passed between them but the blonde could practically hear the wheels turning in the other brunette's head. The loss of Mrs Murray had haunted Mina for years and had been her driving force for her pursuit of medical knowledge. She failed to see how she _couldn't_ understand.

"You didn't mean to... It wasn't your fault."

Lucy laughed, it was a cold and hollow sound. Her eyes watched as a faint line of light began to form on the horizon. "Leave me." She repeated, her voice barely a whisper.

She felt Mina's arms pull away slowly, the feel of them sliding against her eliciting a shiver from her undead body. She missed the warmth and felt a small pang of disappointment at the fact that the brunette had given up so easily.

"I'm sorry."

Lucy's brow furrowed as she absorbed the words. She could hear something else, a sort of jingling in the mixed in with the sound of rustling clothing that was coming from behind her.

She let out a loud cry as Mina wrapped something tightly around her neck. It hissed and burned into her skin.

"_Finally_. I almost thought you had lost your nerve." Jayne muttered, walking quickly into the room. She rolled her eyes at the alarmed look on the brunette's face as she struggled to hold onto the thrashing vampire. "Give it to me."

Mina released the silver chain as soon as she felt Jayne's fingers brush her own and the older blonde made quick work of immobilizing Lucy. She had wrapped the chain several times around Lucy's neck before using it to bind her arms behind her.

"You never said that it would hurt her so badly!" Mina cried, guilt twisting her stomach as she watched the Huntress lower her friend to the carpeted floor.

"She will heal. The silver merely weakens her enough that we can bind her for transport."

The vampire snapped her teeth loudly at Jayne as she withdrew slightly, her eyes completely crimson. "You're working with _her_?!" Lucy hissed, her eyes flicking toward Mina. She was gasping, her voice rough. She might not have needed oxygen to survive but she did need it to speak.

"She has your best interest in mind... Although, I'm not sure why she's bothering. What remains of you hardly seems worth it." Jayne grumbled, taking a second, shorter chain from her own person before securing Lucy's ankles with it. She straightened up then and gave Lucy a once over before lifting her thumb and forefinger to her lips. Jayne whistled loudly, the sound echoing through the silent house. Within seconds loud footsteps could be heard and they had Mina looking between the blonde and the doorway.

"You said we came alone!"

"I lied." Jayne said, smiling easily. "Besides... These two are merely our muscle. They will be carrying our _precious_ cargo to the carriage. It will be dawn soon, Mina. If we want to get Lucy tucked away safely before she has her way and the sun turns her to ash... Then we must move quickly."

The brunette frowned, watching in silence as the two men entered the room and made their way to Lucy. They worked quickly, one very carefully supporting her torso and the other her legs before moving back toward the door.

"Are you coming?" Jayne asked, one brow arched high above the other.

Mina swallowed, guilt and paranoia making her feel nauseous. She glanced toward the window and the now significantly lighter sky. She had to, for Lucy. "Yes."

* * *

I hate the ending, I feel like every time I tried to write it I just couldn't find the right words or something... I don't know, I just don't feel like it is well written. :/ I hope that the overall idea comes across easily enough at least.


End file.
